


Different Choices

by FanficsbyVe



Category: Dark Souls III
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-10-30
Updated: 2016-11-19
Packaged: 2018-08-28 00:58:24
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 16,650
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8424439
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/FanficsbyVe/pseuds/FanficsbyVe
Summary: Eygon and Irina survive in a new, uncertain world. Takes place after the Usurp The Fire ending. FINISHED.





	1. Back from the Dead

**Author's Note:**

> This fic is based on some ideas I already played with "The Sentinel", this time focusing on the rather intriguing relationship between Eygon and Irina.

“If I go through with this, the consequences are entirely mine…”

Irina barely even realized that these words passed her lips. Instead, all her attention was on the withered corpse in front of her, as they were both locked in a room deep inside the Sable Cathedral. She could not see it, of course, but her hands told her it was nothing but a gnarled mess, of dry dusty bones locked inside mummified, dried up flesh, its features withering away with each day passing. She had known it so well, once upon a time. Now, it fate was left in her hands. 

These kinds of heavy dilemmas were nothing new to her now. As a personal secretary to Lady Seri, former Fire Keeper and new leader of the Sable Church, her position in Londor was one of importance. Many times, she would weigh in on important matters and disputes in the city, doing her part 

The Fire Keeper had left her a choice. To inter his bones in a splendorous crypt, his name and deeds forever etched in white stone, or to use the dark knowledge of the Sisters of Londor to return life to him. Both had their own merits. One would allow him the proper resting place a knight deserved. The other might rewrite a tragic end that came about far too soon.

The nun of Carim was not certain of that one. By now, she knew the truth about how Eygon of Carim died. The Ashen One, the man who now ruled Londor, had no longer wished to hide the truth once she was brought to the city. He had been honest with her that her former protector had taken his own life, though he was not quite certain how or why.

Especially that last one, the why, was what had her hesitate. In the end, the man she once called a friend had despised her. He had not agreed with her decision to become a Fire Keeper when she turned blind, to sacrifice the remnants of her life tending to the Flame. He’d spent every inch of the way trying to dissuade her, to take her back home, only to grow bitter when he realized there was no way to avert fate. 

Besides, with her gone, his duty of a Morne Knight was done. They only served one maiden during their lifetime and with her gone, so was his purpose. Perhaps he didn’t want to return to Carim alone, stripped of his life’s work. Perhaps suicide was his way to end his duty with dignity. 

She swallowed. If that was true, then returning him to life might not be wise. Who was she to decide over his life and death when she didn’t know his struggles? Each of them had walked away from Firelink Shrine to pursue their own paths. It was only right to respect his, even if it didn’t lead back to her.

And yet…

There was something else that bothered her, even if she could live with Eygon despising her and her choices. That something lay in their Carim, the land that was their home. A memory, one she sensed every time her fingers felt the smooth surface of her former friend’s shield. She swore it stared at her every time she was near it, watching her and accusing her.

In the end, that memory was all it took. She let out a shivering sigh, bracing herself for what she set out to do. Irina summoned a servant, telling him to get Seri when she was available. If she was going to do this, she definitely didn’t want to do it alone.

Thankfully, the Fire Keeper managed to meet up with her in a relatively short amount of time. The older woman didn’t even need to ask why her presence was needed. Instead, she looked towards the table and Irina could tell she had a knowing look on her face.

“So thou wisheth to go through with it, after all?”

Irina nodded. “Yes, though not for my sake.”

Seri stared at her for the briefest of moments, as if she wanted to ask further, but thankfully refrained from it. “Very well then. Let us proceed with the ritual and bring flame back to bones and ash…”

The younger woman nodded and together, they set to work. They cleaned the body, or what remained of it, the best they could. They gathered all the necessary items and then closed the doors as a precaution, preparing to once again use the dark knowledge of their predecessors in order to do good.

In truth, Irina had little doubt that the ritual would succeed. They had already successfully performed it before. Their previous subject, Horace, had returned to life with his body and mental faculties intact. There wasn’t a doubt in her mind they would do the same for Eygon, but it was not the ritual that she feared.

Indeed, she found herself utterly calm as Seri uttered the ominous words of the ritual, calling for both the dark and the flame. She didn’t flinch as she heard the whispers and the crackling nor the screams of the human being violently pulled from the oblivion of death. If anything, she was simply glad she could not see, for the image Seri described of the change from dead to living were the thing of nightmares.

So she stood, listening to spells and cries of agony and resisting the urge to gag as foul smells of blood and bodily fluids filled the room. She took a deep breath, trying to ease her rapidly pounding heart. Soon, this would all be over…and the true trial would commence.

Finally, the chanting and the screams stopped and there was no sound but the tired, ragged breathing of the man they’d just resurrected. She could hear him groan, sweaty skin sticking to the wooden surface of the table. Seri walked over, quietly examining him, before turning to her.

“I think he has come back proper.”

Irina simply nodded at that statement. What else could she do, really? She never doubted that they would succeed in getting him back with a sound mind. It was rather what followed after that worried her…

The Fire Keeper sensed her apprehension and nodded. “I will give thee thy space. Call upon me if thou needest anything else.”

With those words, she walked to the door, unlocked it and left, leaving the younger woman alone with Eygon. Irina approached him, rather cautiously. Grabbing the clean clothes Seri had already laid out, she leaned over him, her voice soft and hesitant.

“Sir Eygon?”

Her former protector twitched, before she felt his eyes meet her unseeing ones. He let out a soft groan. She could feel a hand reach out to her face, the fingers running across her features. Almost as if he wasn’t sure she was truly there.

“Did you call out to me, Irina?”

She took a deep breath. “I brought you back, Sir Eygon.”

He didn’t respond right away. Instead, he sat up, taking the clothes from hands. He quickly slipped them on, albeit rather clumsily. He then sat back on the table, letting out a deep sigh.

“Why? I thought we were done… When you were called to the Flame, I was free…”

Irina felt her heart ache at that statement. He sounded so tired as he said that, so burdened. As if he didn’t want to be here, least of all with her. It hurt her more than she dared to admit, even if she had already expected it. She swallowed, speaking again.

“You are free. I am no longer a Fire Keeper. The First Flame’s tyranny is over.”

She could sense how he froze over. “Where am I?”

The cleric smiled. “You are in the kingdom of Londor, ruled by the man they called the Ashen King.”

At that very moment, she swore that he was staring at her. She could feel a sense of dread coming off him and he seemed to search the room for his armor and warhammer. She pointed in the direction she and Seri had last left it and he rushed past her, hurriedly putting it on. She could hear him swear.

“Of all places you chose, it had to be a nest of Hollows. I guess I will not be rid of you after all…”

Catching onto the misunderstanding, she shook her head with a little laugh. “There are no Hollows here anymore, Sir Eygon. The Undead Curse is no more. Humanity has moved beyond it. You are in a prosperous, peaceful city, not a place of Dark.”

A grumble left his mouth. “That sure doesn’t explain why in bloody Izalith you are wearing that…”

Without thinking, her hands went to her garb. Truth be told, she couldn’t say with certainty what it looked like, but Seri had described it to her. She knew the fabric was cashmere and her friend had told her it was made of the most beautiful nightly black, with silver-black decorations. Not that she cared much about the color. She enjoyed it for its comfort alone, as well as a symbol of what she was now.

“I am a cardinal in the Sable Church and a personal assistant to its new leader, Lady Seri. I dress the part.”

She felt how he looked her up and down. It felt uncomfortable, though she couldn’t explain why. She felt him take in every detail of her, assessing her while the gears in his brain started turning. Then he scoffed.

“Well, you certainly moved up in this world then. And gained a whole slew of new trouble I have to protect you from. And here I thought I had earned my rest.”

That remark stung her. She knew Eygon didn’t like having to take care of her. That he could not forgive her for her decision to become a Fire Keeper and that he, her best friend, was forced to deliver her to her fate. Once, he’d begged and pled for her to simply come home with him and every time, not knowing what else a blind cleric was good for, she had refused.

She had persisted in her choice and in turn, the once sweet, kind man had become immensely bitter towards her. At first, it had wounded her, but in time, she had come to realize it was simply his way to cope. That it was easier to be angry than to shed tears at the loss that awaited him. Still, there had to have been some love there, a shred of affection somewhere in that heart turned to stone. Why else had he chosen to take his own life after his task was done?

That thought made Irina only more determined to make her case. Willingly or no, Eygon had looked after her. Once upon a time, he had even cared for her. She had ended up taking his life away. Now, it was in her power to give it back to him.

“I require no such thing from you any longer, Sir Eygon. I am well at home here, surrounded by friends and protection. I brought you back for another reason entirely.”

All she got was a huff. “What, to gloat then? To wave your new standing in my face?”

There was a short pause and the cleric could only stare at him in astonishment. She didn’t miss how his tone suddenly turned dark, with resentment practically dripping from it. She shook her head, trying to get her point across.

“That is not what I meant. I…”

Eygon simply snarled. “A Morne Knight serves one maiden during his tenure. My duty ended when you became a Fire Keeper. I was free to do as I pleased afterwards.” 

“You still are, Sir Eygon. Just let me ex…”  
She tried her best to intervene, but the knight didn’t let her. “I thought being stuck with you was the worst, but now I stand corrected. You drag me back from the dead, only to tell you I am obsolete? I thought you were cruel before, Irina, but never had I imagined a heart so black it would match those robes.”

Irina stood nailed to the ground, completely speechless as he continued to spitefully rant at her. Every word was like a lash to the back, drawing blood. To hear him talk about her like this, like some unwanted burden he simply had to put up with, as if their years of friendship meant nothing to him at all.

Yet what hurt her even more than the disregard was the accusations. She had taken a risk in returning him to life, put her own reputation on the line just so he might pursue a life he actually wanted. And here he was, claiming that all she’d done was simply a cruel joke for her own gain, that she was as selfish and abhorrent as he was acting now.

Once upon a time, she may have actually cringed or even shed tears. Yet her time in Londor had toughened her and she no had little need to cower in the face of other people’s spite. She no longer felt like crying when someone talked down to her. Now, there was only anger. 

Her nonexistent vision went red and without even thinking, her right hand moved up and struck him across the face. The sound of it reverberated across the room and she sensed how Eygon looked at her, in shocked silence. Her own face must have been a mask of fury and she only barely managed to compose herself again, though her voice remained icy cold. 

“I understand that my choices were not to your liking, Eygon. That you resented being tied to me. I bear you no ill will for that. But I’m no longer some burden you must carry around. I’m a cardinal of the Sable Church and you will _not_ speak to me this way.”

She braced herself for whatever retort the knight aimed to send her way, but as the seconds passed by, it remained eerily quiet. She could still feel him stare at her and she swore she could sense a large amount of uncertainty, even alarm, coming from him. In any other case, her first instinct would have been to reassure him. Now, she almost felt a malicious sense of satisfaction in it.

She took a step closer, cool and composed and she swore he was hesitating on taking a step back. A smile threatened to work its way to her face. She definitely had his attention now and by the Gods, he was going to listen.

“I will have you know that I did not bring you back for my own pleasure. I no longer have need of you. I brought you back for the sake of your parents, your sister whom I know you love enough to put her visage on your shield. For the people in our town, who I know miss your dearly. Or does their affection mean nothing to you?”

Again, there was nothing but silence, but she swore she could feel the knight slowly deflate. Clearly, he could not think of anything to say to her motives for giving him his life back. Perhaps, she realized, that was just as well. She couldn’t think of anything else to say either, except parting words. So she did.

“I will see to it that you are well-rewarded for your services to me. You may not have cared for me, but you performed your duty admirably, so you deserve as much. That way, you can return to Carim with your head held high.”

The sound of a breath being sucked in reached her ears. By now, the tension in the room was so thick she could probably cut it with a knife if she cared for weaponry. The knight stiffened and she heard his fists clench and unclench.

“You intend to send me away.”

She looked at him, her face without emotion. “As I said, I am no longer in need of your protection. Besides, if I am not a burden to you, I am black-hearted. I would not want you to suffer my company any longer.”

Part of her realized how immensely cruel that sounded, that she was acting no better than he did. Still, after so long of being walked all over, she no longer cared. She was done with being seen as a weak, pathetic victim and she was now more than done with him.

It was clear he wanted to say something, but she didn’t give him the chance. Instead, she snapped her fingers and two knights emerged into the room from the hallway. They bowed their heads in respect and she nodded. 

“Gentlemen. This is Eygon of Carim. A good and honorable knight who was my protector once upon a time. Please escort him and make sure he gets settled at the Blazing Hollow inn. He will go on a journey back to his homeland soon.”

The knights confirmed her command, before walking up to Eygon and standing at either side of him. They urged him to move and the knight complied, but only barely. She could hear him growl under his breath, gathering his belongings before finally pacing out of the room as his escorts guided him out of the Cathedral.

It was only when his footsteps faded that Irina reached around for the nearest chair and slumped into it. Her breath was shaky and she found herself shivering all over. She felt sick to her stomach and again, she wondered if she had made the right decision after all…

Still, she decided, she had made the right call in sending Eygon away. If he felt this way about her, there was no need for him darkening her doorstep ever again. Her days of being a blind cleric, dragged everywhere for a purpose others decided for her, were over. She was a cardinal now, a highly esteemed person of a new Kingdom. It was high time she afforded herself some of the respect her position commanded.

With that thought, she managed a small, weak smile and got up. She had no time to grieve about the past anymore. She was a woman of status who had work to do.


	2. The Riot

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Chaos ensues in Londor.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I have no idea how the days of the week work in the Dark Souls series. Still, as it's based on European history, I'm going to assume it has an equivalent of a "week" and a "day of rest" like most religions. Seeing that this is a Medieval world which likely has a decent amount of farmers, I figured "Plow's Rest" would be a decent name for it (I suck at naming things and titles. Sue me).
> 
> Also, for those who didn't read "The Sentinel": Yes, Horace talks in this story. In "The Sentinel" and in the first chapter of this fic, it's mentioned Fire Keeper and Irina managed to resurrect him completely intact, including his vocal cords. So he is capable of verbal communications again, even though I assume he's still probably not much of a talker in general.

Londor was quiet on the evening of Plow’s Rest. 

Frankly, it was why Irina quite enjoyed it. It was a day of rest, where most people stayed at home and spent time with their family and most businesses except the odd tavern were closed. It was a day where the streets were so quiet you could practically hear a pin drop, save for the late afternoon.

All of the population, if not most of it, was gathering for the service at the Sable Church. It took place every day before sundown, after which everyone returned to their homes to prepare dinner and eventually retire to bed. The service was always a brief one, more of a memorial service to times past than a reminder of religious dogma, but one that brought comfort and regularity to its attendants. A good thing, as far as she and Seri were concerned, as it helped keep the kingdom peaceful and stable.

Flanked by guards on all the sides and a few servants for company, the two of them made their way to the Cathedral, preparing to lead the service. Once of them had taken her by the hand, leading her forward across the cobblestone. She heard all kinds of sounds around her, signs of the people of Londor preparing to go to the Cathedral as well.

Even now, many of those sounds were strange to her. The sound of carts and horse’s hooves. Merchants praising their wares. People going about their chores. Even just the sound of simply laughing. It felt odd to actually be back in a world that had some semblance of normalcy again, of a world where the sun shone and civilization flourished.

Still, that didn’t mean she didn’t appreciate it. She liked life in Londor. It felt good to have a less restrictive life as a cardinal, to do something else than to be locked up and reading braille tomes. Here, she could be an active participant in the daily business of the city and was not seen as something to be ashamed of. She was better off by every conceivable metric and she never forgot that.

“Irina!”

The moment that recognizable voice rang out across the square, the cleric could feel her disposition sour. She turned her head in the direction of the sound, a distasteful look on her face. Of course, something had to ruin her good mood again. 

She felt heavy steps approach her from the right, the familiar jingling of heavy armor becoming audible. Instantly, her and Seri’s guards responded by turning outward, bringing up their shields and keeping their weapons at the ready. She could feel the person stop in his tracks and she turned to him, her expression even.

“I thought you were going back to Carim, Sir Eygon.”

She was certain the knight didn’t miss the venom in her voice, but he didn’t seem deterred. “What I did or did not do is not important right now. I came to say that you’re in grave danger!”

She noted how urgent he sounded but simply frowned. “I am aware there are still Darkwraiths about, Sir Eygon. You tell me nothing new. We are on our way to a destination. Kindly let us proceed.”

She nodded at her guards, urging them to start moving again. They obliged, but it wasn’t enough to deter him. As they marched away, he sped after them, panting heavily due to his armor dragging him down. 

“You do not understand. The Darkwraiths... I’ve heard rumors on the seedier side of town. The sexton. He has been bribed. You must…”

Despite not wanting to, Irina found herself listening regardless. Not that anything he said made any sense to her either way. If anything, it sounded like outright gibberish.

She knew the sexton of the Sable Church. He was an old but kind and upstanding man. He and his family had been the first to flock to Seri and they had gone from beggars to an middle class family that could actually afford all the food necessary. She could not imagine him plotting to turn on her or any other of her friends under any circumstances. Besides, even if he did, why would the knight care?

She sighed. Why couldn’t Eygon simply return to Carim and get on with his life, just like she had? Their relationship had soured enough as it was. She didn’t need a constant reminder of the fact she was once dependent on a man who clearly despised her. She turned to him, straining her utmost to remain polite. 

“Make way, Eygon. We have nothing more to say to one another.”

She thought she made herself quite clear with that, but it only seemed to annoy him. “I am not here to dwell on old grudges, girl. All I’m saying is that you, your church maiden and your Ashen King and his Queen should hurry back to your Keep and hole up there! If you go to the Cathedral, then you…”

“No one speaks ill of Lady Seri nor of our beloved King and Queen!”

One of the knights in her garrison, a rather young man as evidenced by the sound of his voice, stepped forward. He was a little taller than Eygon and flaunted this fact by drawing himself up as much as possible, flashing a large zweihander. The Knight of Carim, however, was not impressed, growling.

“Do you want to fight, boy? Well, do so then instead of spouting big words. I could crush all six of you like I’m simply opening a walnut.”

It was a threat, one that Irina knew he meant and that the boy knight clearly saw as a challenge. His companions seemed to agree and she could sense how the situation was quickly escalating. Desperate to prevent a fight on the late afternoon of Plow’s Rest, she swiftly moved forward, barring the way of her knights. She then turned to Eygon, trying her best to maintain a sense of coolness.

“Sir Eygon, I thank you kindly for your concern of me. But I am well-protected and we really must press on. You are welcome to join us at the Sable Cathedral, if you so wish. Have a pleasant Plow’s Rest.”

She then quickly glanced back to the knights, nodding at them and beseeching them to keep moving. Thankfully, they obeyed and soon, their small procession continued on their way. Frankly, Irina couldn’t be happier about it and was already smiling when the splendid Cathedral came into view.

“He sounded rather serious…”

The Fire Keeper's quiet remark had the cleric look up. The suggestion that she might even lend credit to the knight’s words was surprising. For some reason, she didn’t quite like it either. 

“He always does. Eygon lost the ability to smile long ago.”

The small huff Seri gave her was enough to abandon any further sarcasm. “Perhaps so, but who is to say he is not right? Mayhaps it is wise to delay the service and have Horace and his men clear out the Cathedral first.”

Inwardly, Irina could feel her stomach turn. Something inside her heavily protested at the idea that her former protector might be proven right. Even so, if he was indeed right about a plot, then it would be folly to ignore it. As such, she decided to swallow her pride and nodded.

“Very well then, my Lady. I shall send a servant to find our King and Queen’s entourage and warn them.”

She snapped her fingers and the servant nearest to her approached. She was about to open her mouth and command the young man to go find the entourage, only to find herself suddenly interrupted. A multitude of screams and shrieks was suddenly unleashed in the middle of Londor, on the square in front of the Sable Cathedral.

“Darkwraiths!”

Within a mere second of this sudden onslaught, Irina’s blood ran cold. She snapped her head in the direction of the sound. The screams quickly grew louder and she could hear the stomping of hundreds of feet. Panic suddenly filled the air and in the distance, she could hear the sounds of magic and weapons being drawn.

Beside her, Seri let out a terrified gasp, her entire body freezing over. After several seconds, her body jolted into motion and she rushed forward, only to be held back by one of the knights. 

“Lady Seri, no! We must get you and Lady Irina to safety! Come on, let’s go!”

The next thing she knew, Irina felt armored hands pull at her as well and as Seri continued to plead with the knight she had to do something, she felt sick. A horrid realization dawned on Irina. The King and Queen had already made it to the church…and were now in the middle of an assassination attempt. 

The knights protecting her and Seri didn’t hesitate. Immediately, they slipped back in formation, forming a protective circle around the two women. They continued to pull on them, practically dragging them, while the captain of the group shouted orders.

“Protect the Ladies. Retreat to the Keep!”

Suddenly, the shouting grew louder and the rattling of the knights’ armor was echoed a short distance away. By now, the chaos rendered her dizzy, but she felt how they were joined by other knights. Meanwhile, she heard the snarls of what sounded like Darkwraiths closing in on all sides.

Then, amidst the onslaught, she picked up on familiar voices, uttering war cries and swears. There were the grunts and barking of orders by Horace, as he swung his halberd around and impaled his enemies on it. Beside him, two other voices rang out as well, only for the captain of the Royal Guard to shout over them.

“Make room! Escort the King and Queen as well! Grey, Anri, come on! We’ll take care of it!”

Those words, only barely registered, caused some manner of relief in the cleric. The same went for Seri, who happily called out to their friends, urging them to listen to Horace and keep moving. That thought had her push on. Her monarchs were still alive…

Unfortunately for the Darkwraiths, Grey was not some bureaucrat with a crown. He was a fierce warrior from the cold and hostile Northern lands who knew his way around his sword. Anri, his Queen, was a well-trained knight descended from Astoran legends and like him, she rarely went anywhere without a weapon in hand either. They had come prepared and instead of fully relying on their ambushed guard, they had ripped their own way out of the Cathedral to get back to safety.

The party started to move as fast as they could, Yuria’s miserable dogs still hot on their heels. By now, the city guard was alerted as well and she could hear how both forces clashed all around her. Meanwhile, the knights protecting them kept marching forward, gradually making their way towards a smaller side entrance of the Royal Keep.

Then, out of nowhere, there was a loud bang and a wave of fire and heat overtook her. Somewhere nearby, a cache of oil barrels had exploded, no doubt set alight by pyromancy. The force of it was enough to knock her and several of the party’s knights against the ground and she let out a pained shriek as she smacked against the cobblestone. 

The pain and confusion only increased when she felt strange hands pulling on her from all sides. She heard the dark tongues of Darkwraiths all around her, whispering threats to kill and maim, to drain her of her humanity. She screamed and struggled, reaching for her talisman and casting powerful miracles to keep them at bay, but without eyes to guide her, her enemies were soon all over her once more.

Irina cried out in horror as she felt the Darkwraiths tear at her, as she felt claws and knives bury into her skin. She could feel her skin chafe and tear, blood tricking down to soil her clothes. She felt a dozen of them drag her away, yanking her arms so hard she swore they were going to pull them off, tugging her hair so hard she was sure she was going to be scalped. She had stopped counting how many times she had been slammed against the ground by now and as she was starting to become numb to the pain, one thought flashed through her head. 

She was going to die here, alone, and her friends might not even find her body again…

Then out of nowhere, there was another pull on her body and as she braced herself for another wave of pain, there was a sound. The sound of weapons, of flesh being ground to pulp and skulls being crushed. Her ears were suddenly pierced with angry howls, only to be countered by furious snarls. 

For the next few moments, there was only the noise of smashing, of lives being snuffed out with immense violence. Soon, those wretched dark tongues were whimpering and begging for mercy, pleading incessantly until their voices morphed into guttural rattles amidst the continued rhythm of heavy steel grinding a solid form to a splatter. The smell of blood, thick and rotten and ridden with the Abyss, was in the air and the cleric found herself retching. 

The area around them briefly turned quiet and it was there she knew that her attackers were all dead. All of them, except whatever had caused them to beg for their lives in vain. She could feel the presence turn around and look at her and she was so afraid that she didn’t even notice how she soiled herself like a small child. Especially when she heard footsteps coming closer.

Suddenly, the hands were back and it was there she couldn’t take anymore. She screamed again, on the top of her lungs, and fought the strong grip with whatever strength she had left. The presence, however, didn’t relent, easily lifting her off the ground, and as she attempted to break free once more, a snarl was heard. 

“Stop struggling, girl!”

Even in her frantic, traumatized state, Irina still had enough of her sanity left to recognize that voice. She looked up to where she thought his face was, reaching out. Instantly, she could feel the familiar outlines of a helmet shaped like a Gargoyle. Her mouth fell open.

“Sir Eygon…”

The knight practically swung her over his shoulder like a bag of potatoes, keeping one hand firmly on his giant mace. “We must hurry. They might find us otherwise.”

Even now, she was too afraid to simply trust anyone. “W-where are we going?”

He grunted. “To the Royal Keep, where else?”

At this point, she was too tired to ask any further and simply hung limp in his grip as he sped through streets and alleyways. It wasn’t long before she felt the shadows of the Keep’s walls looming over them. Somewhere in the back of her head, she wondered just how Eygon could find his way to the Keep so easily, but she decided not to question it. All she wanted right now was to get off these streets to a safe place…

She heard the knight bang on what sounded like a small side gate, hidden in an alleyway. “Hey, open up! Let us in!”

Irina heard how someone slid the peephole open, shouting at him. “The city is under attack! I will not let in any strangers!”

The cleric instantly recognized the voice of one of the gatekeepers and as the sound of violence came closer, she knew she had to do something. She forced herself to squirm in Eygon’s grip and turn towards the door. She practically shouted at the man behind the door, fear and panic taking the better of her. 

“Hugh, it’s me! He’s with me! Please let us inside!”

Instantly, she was rewarded with a shocked gasp. “Lady Irina! Yes! Yes, of course! By the Flame, we thought you were dead!”

She could hear how the heavy oak gate was rapidly unbolted and the moment it creaked open, Eygon stormed through. He stomped into the courtyard as the gatekeeper closed the door behind him. She could feel him raise his head, bellowing as hard as he could.

“Hey! I have a wounded cardinal here! Someone, get a healer!”

She tried to raise her voice as he did, trying to tell him that he didn’t need to help her any further. She was at the Keep now, behind thick walls while the city guard dispatched the rest of the Darkwraiths. She could manage from here.

Still, she didn’t even get the first word of her sentence past her lips. A wave of nausea overtook her and her head was pounding furiously. Bile started to form in the back of her throat and suddenly, the world behind her unseeing eyes started to blotch.

Perhaps it was her injuries. Perhaps it was her body shutting down now she had finally reached safety. Yet where she had previously remained lucid, her conscious was now quickly giving out on her and the last thing going through her head was hoping that the knight carrying her would bother to bring her to a healer himself…

The next time Irina opened her eyes, she felt worse than she had ever felt in her entire life. It took her all of her effort to even crack open her eyelids and the first thing she felt was that she wasn’t in her usual bed. She would be panicked at that, were it not for the fact that her mind was swimming. Then she realized that she was covered in bandages and probably under the influence of some kind of opiate to keep her from feeling pain.

Whatever part of her mind wasn’t completely subdued kicked back into gear. The last thing she remembered was the attack at the Cathedral Square. The Darkwraiths had holed up in the Sable Cathedral and tried to kill the King and Queen. They had escaped and their knights had led all of them back to the Keep. Then there had been an explosion and Darkwraiths everywhere and pain… And then, there had been Eygon…

That final thought is what jerked her into motion. She tried to sit up, to raise her hands and feel her surroundings, but her body refused to even remotely cooperate. She slurred a curse at this, growing ever more frantic in her attempts to do anything at all. She had to get out of this bed and find out where she was. Anything to find out what had become of Londor.

It took her several moments to even acknowledge the hands grabbing hers. They were soft and slender, the hands of a woman. They gently squeezed hers, as if to assure her, before being accompanied by a soothing, familiar voice.

“Irina… Thank the Flame, thou art awake.”

The cleric stilled the moment she heard it, a faint smile on her lips. “Seri.”

She heard the older woman laugh, an uncharacteristically happy laugh that betrayed relief. “Thou art in the hospital wing of the Royal Keep. The physician has treated thy injuries. Thou wert asleep for the last three days, but he expects thee to make a full recovery.”

Irina quietly took in this information, her still drugged body slowly relaxing again. So she really was back inside the Keep and the Darkwraiths’ damage wasn’t permanent. At least she had that going for her then… 

She didn’t protest as the woman offered her some food and drink, offering only small bites and sips so she could consume them more easily. Her relaxed attitude indicated all was well and that there was nothing to worry about. Even so, she would like to know the aftermath of the unexpected attack.

“What about the Darkwraiths… Did they..?”

“They have been taken care of. It was a last desperate attack to avenge Yuria and Lilliane, ill-prepared beyond their botched assassination. Horace, his men and the city guard managed to slaughter every single one of them. Londor is tranquil once more, but we feared for thee for quite a while.”

The younger female quietly listened as her superior told her of the events. It had become a bloody altercation, not just between the soldiers of Londor and the Darkwraiths, but also the citizens. Many didn’t appreciate the disturbance of their now peaceful lives and had been crueler to the attackers than Horace could even dream to be. The Darkwraiths had managed to kill some, but they had swarmed on them like ants, eager to devour.

Their wrath was terrifying to behold. After centuries of living in fear of those who stole humanity, the citizens of this town were determined not to leave them a shred of it. This was about settling a score and they were given the same lack of mercy they had reserved for their victims. 

Even now, the royal guards and city watch would find bits and pieces of them strewn across the streets, torn apart in a blind frenzy. Any valuables had been stripped off the remains and whatever skin wasn’t shredded was mutilated with knives, pokers and whatever household tools could be used as instruments of death. Even if it was no longer a city of Hollows, the people of Londor were still brutal and swift in dealing out their justice.

It was there that her mind once again turned to the one thing that had saved her life amidst this murderous chaos. The knight she had sent away, yet stayed in this city and whom had managed to find her in time. He brought her here and again, she wondered what had happened to him afterwards.

“Eygon… Where is he?”

At that, Seri chuckled. “I sent him off to sleep at one of the guest rooms. He has been at thy bedside for the last three days. Watching over thee, hesitant to let anyone beside the physician near, even Grey and Anri. Though he will probably deny it if thou would confront him with such knowledge.” 

Irina stared at Seri in utter surprise. Eygon of Carim, the knight who wasted no moment to proclaim his hatred of her, had actually been with her all this time? Now there was a jest for the ages. 

“He must be rather fond of thee, to go to such lengths to protect thee.”

The clear warmth in Seri’s voice only made Irina want to mockingly laugh, would she actually have the energy for that. She found that incredibly hard to believe. As far as she knew, Eygon cared nothing for her. If he was with her at all, or even feigning concern, it had to be because there was something in it for him.

He was probably out of coin. She had given him a generous amount of it, courtesy of all the wealth Grey had retrieved from the Profaned Capital, enough for him to lead a comfortable life back in Carim. No doubt he’d wasted it all on wine, wagers and wenches in that seedy side of town he’d spoken of and was now looking for some way to sustain that lifestyle. That or secure some status here in Londor by way of gaining some foreign military honors, so he would not be despised back home for leaving his duty as a Morne’s Knight. Those seemed far more likely, but she kept it to herself as she simply shook her head at her friend.

“I doubt that very much, Lady Seri.”

Now, she could practically sense the woman frown. “I would not be so certain. Grey and Anri wished to honor him for his brave deed. Once thou hast recovered, they will throw a banquet to celebrate all those who fought in the attack, including him. They awarded him with the distinction of Protector of Londor and allowed him to make a wish for himself. His answer did not indicate he despises thee.”

That response, spoken with so much conviction, only confused Irina further. “What did he ask then?”

Instantly, a slew of possibilities ran through Irina’s head. What on earth could Eygon say that would actually make him seem sympathetic to her? The only things she could think of where immensely far-fetched and involved things like sainthood, charity and any other methods that would keep him as far away from her as possible. She thought of them all and still, nothing could have prepared her for Seri’s answer. 

“He asked the King if he could be made your protector. They have granted that request.”


	3. A Troublesome Banquet

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Eygon and Irina make peace.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It'll be a four-parter, after all.
> 
> The first historic indication of a guide dog could be found in the 1500s, for example in the second line of the popular verse alphabet "A was an Archer": "B was a Blind-man/Led by a dog". While the games seem to take place in a Medieval world, it also has braille, which wasn't developed until the 1800s. So I felt it wasn't too out of place.

“Irina, art thou quite all right?”

The cleric looked up from her plate. She didn’t even realize she was in deep thought until now. Almost immediately, she managed to twist her face into a smile. 

“Yes. Yes, I am fine Lady Seri. Please, I am still very tired from my ordeal. Do not let it spoil this joyful occasion.”

The stare she received from the Fire Keeper made it clear that her superior might not necessarily believe her, but the older woman nonetheless returned to her meal and the conversation she had with Horace who sat beside her. Irina, on her part, was not much in the mood for conversation, especially not since the person seated next to her was Eygon of Carim.

Today was a festive one in the Royal Keep. There was a banquet in the main hall, in honor of all the brave soldiers and citizens who had fought in the assassination attempt of the Darkwraiths. The keep was alive with festive lights and sophisticated entertainment and even the people outside of it were well-provided for, the King and Queen having provided them with plenty of food and theater to celebrate the unity this event had created. Every man and woman, from rich to poor, was festive, all except for the cleric maiden.

She was still too stunned about the fact that Eygon had requested to become her personal bodyguard. Even now, she was thinking of reasons of why could have possibly wished for this and she couldn’t think of any other than to simply torment her. They had talked a few times while she was still bedbound and every time, it had been terse and brief and he mostly just sat quietly at her side. That made her extremely uncomfortable and it definitely took the shine off what was a wonderful feast otherwise.

She had already made up her mind. As soon as the party was over, she was going to meet with Grey and Anri and beseech them to give the knight any other honorable position in the Hold as long as it wasn’t this one. She had been in the Ashen One’s service for so long now, with Grey knowing about their rocky relationship firsthand. No doubt they would be happy to listen and not saddle her with a man who despised her.

That thought calmed her somewhat and with that decision made, she instead tried to focus on the festivities again. She could not see the acrobats perform their tricks or the friendly jousts, but she delighted in the music and poetry that was interspersed between such entertainment. Then, of course, there was also the delicious food.

Irina had never been a glutton. The life of a cleric required a moderate existence, after all. Yet even she enjoyed every little tasty morsel the banquet had to offer. It had started with soups and bread with cheese, butter and other delicious toppings. The main course, which she was now consuming, all kinds of meat and fish, exquisitely prepared into several dishes, served with sides of fresh vegetables and cooked potatoes. Dessert would consist of honeycomb, pudding, cakes, delicious fruits and cream. It was enough to bring delight to anyone and after her ordeal at the Square, she felt even a cleric was entitled to indulge in a little decadence. 

Eygon equally enjoyed the meal. He was currently gorging himself on what she’d gathered to be honeyed duck, washing it down with the occasional swig of wine. No doubt he hadn’t actually had a meal of this quality since he left his family’s keep in Carim and perhaps not even then. Either way, she was grateful that he was more engrossed in the actual food than in actually striking up a conversation with anyone. She was not in the mood for it. 

She continued to focus on her own meal, chewing on a nice dish of lamprey when suddenly, the knight decided to break the unspoken agreement she’d just made. “You’ve been awfully quiet this entire time, Irina. Still shaken up from the Square?”

The cleric fought the urge to glare at him. He had to be toying with her, she was certain of it. There was no way he could not be aware of her discomfort being around him. There was nothing she wanted more right now than to tell him to get lost, to finally leave this city and simply leave her to the new life she now had.

Still, not willing to cause a scene and ruin the mood of the banquet, she simply shook her head. “I am still a little tired and pained, Sir Eygon. It’s nothing.”

“Are you certain? Maybe this kind of commotion isn’t good for you to be in then? Should I escort you to your chambers? Ask the servants to bring your food up there? I’m sure they’ll happily…”

By now, whatever irritation she had previously subdued was rapidly bubbling to the surface. She couldn’t stand this. Him trying to act courteous and considerate. Him actually acting like he even cared. She silently clenched her fists, her voice taking on a sharper edge.

“I said I’m _fine_ , Eygon. Please leave this matter be and allow me to enjoy my meal.”

She felt how he leaned back a little, clearly on edge as he looked her over. “If you say so…”

He then returned to his own food and Irina furiously chewed down on a piece of lamprey. At least with her mouth full she could not scream at him. She focused on simply spearing the remains of her meal with her fork, inflicting all the damage on the cooked fish that decency wouldn’t allow her to inflict on the knight of Carim. 

It was after a while that she felt how he got up from the table and left to somewhere unknown. Quite frankly, that was possibly the best thing that could happen right now. She was in a bad way and already trying harder to keep the peace than she really wanted to. 

Unfortunately, her pleasant newfound solitude didn’t last nearly as long as she wanted to. Soon, Eygon was back, with a full plate of new food from the smell of it. She stilled as she felt him turn back to her and put something on her plate. She shifted her chair back somewhat, wondering just what it was. 

She nearly jolted up when she felt how he took hold of her arm, trying to pull it back on instinct and she felt him cock his head. “It’s alright, Irina. I mean no harm.”

The cleric didn’t respond as he brought her hand down to the plate, her fingers touching whatever was on it. She could feel a warm, hard crust under her fingers and by now, she could smell cooked meat. She frowned, wondering if it was what she thought. Eygon confirmed it.

“They’re porkpies. The cooks just served some. I recall you used to love those when we were children…”

It was then and there, as he spoke those words with a certain degree of hesitation, that whatever part inside her that still wanted to remain civilized died right there. She turned to him, fire in her blind eyes. Her fingers dug into the wood of the table and it was only by an immense power of will not to cast Wrath of the Gods right there.

How dare he? How dare he act like there was absolutely normal to be this friendly with each other after all that had happened? How dare he appeal to their youth, to a time when they were both happy and carefree, before things had been done and said that had irreversibly damaged their relationship? It was too much to bear and by now, she no longer held back.

“Do you really think this is all it takes? That a little bit of kindness will make me forgive your cruelty? That acting like none of the things at the Undead Settlement or in this very Keep ever happened can somehow redeem you? Spare your breath, Eygon. There is only so much torment I am willing to suffer.”

She didn’t even realize she was practically screaming at him until she felt all eyes at the table staring at her. She could hear some cutlery clatter onto the table and someone, likely Horace, stopped halfway through noisily gnawing at some pork ribs. Suddenly, the atmosphere had turned particularly chilly and she sensed how everyone stared at the two of them with baited breath. 

Irina could feel her face redden and a sense of mortification overtook her. Realizing now that she was causing a scene, she made her decision. Her appetite was gone and she was more than fed up with having to suffer Eygon’s presence. She might as well take her leave and find herself a place where she could get some peace and quiet until this all blew over.

Giving everyone a polite nod, she stood up and left the table. By now, she knew the Keep well enough to get around without guidance. Making sure to avoid walking into anyone, she slowly but steadily made her way to the palace garden. She managed to find a stone bench and sat down on it.

Taking a deep breath, she tried to calm herself. She sat up, taking in the pleasant silence around her, only interrupted by the singing of the many birds building their nests in the trees and hedges. Even if she couldn’t admire this supposedly beautiful place, the monotone sound always had a soothing effect on her. And right now, she wanted nothing more than to be alone, in a place where she felt comfortable and likely wouldn’t be disturbed. 

Alas, it seemed she was not getting that wish. Soon, she heard heavy footsteps on the grass, heading in her direction. She instantly recognized them as Eygon’s and it did nothing to help her regain her composure. Especially when he awkwardly sat beside her and, after a long and uncomfortable silence, chose to speak.

“I think this is a better place to air our dirty laundry than the dining hall…”

All Irina could do at that was glare. “What is left to say? You made quite clear what you thought of me, at the Undead Settlement, the Firelink Shrine and when I returned you to life in this very Keep. I am quite done suffering your barbs and your protection of me, as you requested the King, is neither wanted nor required.”

The knight clearly cringed at that. “Even when I was planning on apologizing?”

Irina was already planning to say something else, but those words, spoken with an unusual sense of earnest on his part, made her stop. She silently assessed Eygon, trying to get a hint of his motives. Was he truly intending to actually take responsibility for some of the hurtful things he had said? Still, she was not so easily convinced.

“Then speak and I will be the judge of that.”

She could hear him utter a soft sigh. One of relief, she wondered? She knew fully well she had the power to get him kicked out of the palace and banish him from Londor forever. The only reason she had not acted on it so far was politeness and the genuine gratitude she felt for him saving her during the Darkwraith attack. That last one alone was reason enough to at least have him explain himself. Which he did.

“Very well. Let us start with the obvious. I have not been good to you. Not since the elder nun in your convent convinced you to become a Fire Keeper. That was not right. You were your own woman making your own decisions. Even if it was a decision I did not agree with in the slightest.”

The cleric was not certain what to answer to that. This was the first time in literally all her years knowing him that she had ever heard Sir Eygon apologize for anything. She blinked, wondering for a moment if it was simply some kind of bizarre hallucination. That was quickly disproven as he continued speaking.

“The truth of the matter is, I could not handle it. You were my friend growing up, Irina. You know that. There was a reason that when I became a Morne Knight, I chose to serve you. You were as good as any woman to me. The very idea I would have to lead you away to some godforsaken shrine and leave you there for an eternity… That I would have to leave you behind for some stranger to eventually lead you to some tower to be put down like a mad dog... I couldn’t go back to Carim knowing I was the one who brought you to the slaughter table…”

As he told her this, Irina prided herself on being able to keep a straight face. She had known Eygon was angry about her decision to become a Fire Keeper. That he had begged and pled with her to simply come back home with him. Yet even then, she had not known it had pushed him to such level of desperation that he couldn’t even think of returning back home to his family anymore. Truth be told, it only now occurred to her that with the world being in such a terrible state, that family was perhaps already gone…

“The next thing I knew, I woke up again on some slab. With you there, not as a Fire Keeper but in an entirely new life and with no need of me. Suddenly, my actions on how to deal with your departure didn’t matter anymore and I was right back where I was before. A pile of gold and silver and a medal weren’t ever going to fix that.”

To say that Irina felt guilty that very moment might be pushing things too far, but she definitely felt responsible. He was right, in a way. She had given him his life back, but nothing that actually made it worthwhile for him to have it. Only a home that he might no longer even have.

“I am sorry about that. I…figured you wanted to leave. That you wanted to go home and return to your old life. Your remarks to me certainly gave that impression…”

He sighed. “I did think of going back to Carim. Of going back to my family’s lands and try to forget. I sent letters, letting them know I was alive and well, though so far, nothing has come back. Then I started hearing whispers of the enemies of Londor and I couldn’t do it. Not when I could actually make a difference this time.” 

Again, there was nothing but the singing of birds heard in the background. After all, Irina thought, what could she say to that? After their relationship had been so shattered, she had never thought it in him to still act on altruism, let alone affection for her. She didn’t know what was worse. That the Eygon she knew had changed so much or that she had become so jaded that she dismissed the notion of acting benevolently without recompense. 

“So you did save me simply because you wanted to. I… I thought…”

Eygon didn’t let her finish, perhaps because it was too painful to actually have to hear those words again. “I do not blame you. I have made wrong decisions in the past, especially regarding you. You didn’t deserve my ire over something that was beyond us and I regret that deeply. I cannot change that anymore. All I can do is treat you better from now on and ensure that you are safe in this new life. So please, let me stay this time and do what I was meant to do as a Morne Knight.”

Once more, the woman found herself speechless, not quite used to so much frankness on the knight’s part. She could barely remember the last time he’d been so vulnerable with her. That he admitted to any sense of loss or grief that he may have felt when the world threatened to end. It felt so unreal that her first thought was to doubt it all over again. 

Yet also, deep down, she felt touched. The little girl in her, the one that still knew of a life without bitterness or cruelty. That knew of a kinder, more compassionate Eygon that had watched over her once. Perhaps that person was not entirely gone and there was still a chance to preserve him. 

The cleric took a deep breath, then nodded. “I am willing to try, Eygon. For the sake of our friendship and what once was. And who knows, perhaps one day we can leave a dark chapter behind us.”

Eygon didn’t speak, but he didn’t have to. She could feel how his entire body language changed, expressing both surprise and, above all, relief. Even so, she was startled when he got off the bench and kneeled in front of her.

“I, Eygon of Carim, vow to serve you, Irina of Carim, cardinal of the Sable Church. I will be your shield and protect you from those who’d harm you. Such is my duty as a Morne’s Knight.”

Those words were enough for something inside her to come apart. She knew those words and remembered them very well. He’d sworn them to her before, long ago, when he’d gained his position as knight and chose to serve her over a thousand noblewomen who’d gladly had that favor. He spoke it with the same conviction as he did then and it was enough to move her.

She stood up, swallowing the lump in her throat. It was her turn now. To say those words that cemented their partnership in the eyes of Carim and soon, in those of Londor. Even now, she knew the words perfectly and she wasn’t sure she would ever forget. 

“I, Irina of Carim, cardinal of the Sable Church, take you, Eygon of Carim, into my service. Such is my promise as your lady.”

Nothing else was said after she uttered those words, but it wasn’t necessary. There was a change in atmosphere now, the forming of a truce that hadn’t been there in a long time. They still had a tough road to go if things were ever going to be the way they used to, but this was a start and they didn’t have to fear the other’s intentions.

Eventually, however, Eygon rose to his feet and took her hand. He carefully tugged it, motioning her to walk. She gave him a questioning look and he chuckled.

“Come. We should head back to the dining hall. People might start to wonder where we are and we’re going to miss out on some damned good food otherwise.”

Before she fully realized it, she was snickering as well. There was the Morne’s knight she knew again. She gripped his hand, urging him to guide her. It was just as well. Her appetite was coming back to her and porkpie sounded quite appealing.

Soon, she was back in the hall, seated at her old spot at the king’s table. She could feel the questioning looks on her friends’ faces, but they thankfully decided not to address it when they saw that she and Eygon seemed at ease. Instead, they told her they were happy that she was back and offered her some more delicacies, all of which she gratefully accepted.

The rest of the feast went off without a hitch. She ate, she enjoyed the entertainment, she engaged in conversation with whomever came up to her. She reveled in all the celebratory cheer along with her companions and for once, she didn’t have a care in the world.

It seemed humans weren’t the only ones enjoying the festivities either. Several animals, such as the castle hounds and the odd stray cat, had also managed to slip inside. A few of those dog had also made their way to the king’s table and were apparently doing their best puppy faces to earn a scrap or two.

Beside her, she heard Eygon snicker at one of them. “You silly mutt. I give you a rabbit leg and it’s gone before I can blink. Do you even taste what you eat?”

She laughed. “I think they rarely eat as well as they do today, Eygon. And unlike previous rulers of Mankind, the Ashen King is not in the habit of feeding them hollows. Those are awfully hard to find nowadays.”

She felt how Eygon fed it some more from his plate. “So what does he use them for anyway, if not for execution?”

She shrugged. “Hunting, mostly. And companionship. A loyal dog makes for better protection as well.”

“Has he ever considered the possibility of giving one of them to you?”

That question caught her off-guard and she stared at him. “What would I need a dog for?”

He took another noisy bite of his meal. “I have been gathering a lot of stuff to read here in Londor. Say what you will of the Sable Sisters, but they knew how to gather knowledge. I have come across a lot of literature about Oolacile and I came upon some tales about training animals and plantlike beings to do their bidding. Including dogs to guide those without sight.”

Immediately, Irina could feel her brows furrow at that. She was no stranger to strange tales about faraway countries. After all, as a cleric, she had spent her time reading and telling many of those tales to others through braille tomes. She knew Oolacile especially was home to many strange magics, but the idea of a dog becoming her eyes just sounded to unbelievable to be true.

“That sounds rather farfetched. It is likely some fairytale conjured up by some biased traveler.”

She felt how he shook his head. “I am not so sure, Irina. I grew up with hounds at our own keep back home. They are intelligent beasts, which can be taught many tricks with some patience. For once, I think those tree huggers were onto something.”

Just by listening to the tone of his voice, she could tell he seemed immensely fixated. Why, she didn’t know. By now, she could get around easily enough within the Keep and she could always ask a knight to help her outside of it. What was a dog going to do for her besides adding fleas? Still, it was clear Eygon wasn’t letting the idea go.

“What do you aim to do then?”

He took a swig of wine. “I am going to talk to the King and Queen. See if they are willing to grant me a pup of my choosing. Then I am going to try and rear it to help you. It is worth a try.”

Knowing the knight was too stubborn to ever be dissuaded from whatever notion he held, she decided not to enter an argument about it. She didn’t feel in the mood for it anyway. Right now, she simply wanted to enjoy the feast and the newfound peace between them.

She smiled, happily tucking into dessert when it was served, listening intently as a musician played a beautiful song about Carim on a lute. It was so heartfelt that it moved her to tears, but those were not necessarily tears of sadness. Rather, they came from a sense of relief. Relief that all the hardships she suffered were over and that hers and Eygon’s was now a better fate.


	4. New Experiences

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Irina and Eygon do away with their vows.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This will be the last smut I will write in a while. After six smutfics nonstop, I am kind of done with it for a while. Plus, I have a ton of Skyrim crossover chapers to work on, which will take up at least the next two months. Either way, I hope you enjoy this.

The way time moved seemed to change now that the First Flame was gone. Where previously, the past, present and future would flow together in unexplainable ways, there was now only a linear line, marked by events great and small. The only cycle ruling the landscape was the one of the sun rising and setting each day and frankly, it was the most beautiful thing in the world to Irina.

Life in Londor was eventful in the best of ways. Every day, she would wake up and go about her many tasks to keep the Sable Church in order. Her tasks mostly centered around gathering knowledge and archiving it and, when that was not necessary, helping the Fire Keeper with all sorts of matters of the realm. A job she proved quite good at and every now and then, their knowledge was very useful to the Crown as well.

Though humility was required of clerics, she could not deny that she was proud of her new station in life. She was glad to be of use to others, to actually contribute to the society she now lived in. A life in which her services were respected and valued and she had to admit it was preferable over the life she would have had as a Fire Keeper. A thought she was obviously not alone in.

Eygon had adjusted to life in Londor quite well. By now, he’d received news of his family back in Carim, confirming they were still alive. She had jokingly asked him if he had changed his mind and wanted to return to them, but he had simply laughed and sent them a response, detailing everything about his new life and that he was happy. Plans were made about a visit in one place or the other, but it was all too clear that he was not planning to leave her side any time soon.

He seemed to enjoy his task of guarding her, accompanying her whenever she ventured outside the Keep or Cathedral or simply standing watch as she worked in the Archives. He took great pride in being her aide and protector and bit by bit, she saw a little bit of the old Eygon return. Especially when it came to his new pet project.

The knight had kept his word. A day or so after the banquet, he’d asked Grey and Anri whether he could have a dog from the kennels to train for his purposes. They’d granted it without second thought and Eygon had then brought her over to meet the animals. The dogs had been friendly to her, perhaps sensing her blindness, but she particularly bonded with a young bitch, barely half a year old, which seemed to prefer her company over playing with her littermates. It was this dog that the knight selected with her approval and within a few hours of this, he set out to train her.

Initially, she thought his plan was absolute madness. After all, how could a dog actually serve as her eyes? He, however, was adamant and made her spend her every waking moment with the animal, urging her to play with her and develop a bond. He did the same and much of their spare time involved her holding a dog’s leash, while Eygon stood by with a handful of meat scraps trying to steer them in the right direction. It was ridiculous more often than not and at times, she wondered just how long he planned to continue pursuing this crazy goal of his.

Yet as the weeks passed by, it turned out that perhaps the knight was not so mad at all. The pup, whom she named River, was exceptionally clever, more than she ever thought a dog would be. She was an energetic and affectionate animal that liked to learn and responded very well to training. Within six months, she responded to a variety of commands and was actually capable of leading Irina to any point of Londor without incident. The dog’s presence made her life significantly easier and the progress they made each day validated Eygon’s crazy theories.

His findings didn’t go unnoticed in the Keep. Especially Queen Anri was immensely interested in his achievements. She had wondered out loud if dogs could be used like this on a larger scale and for other, but similar purposes. She even implored Eygon to write down his discoveries and training methods, so others might make use of them as well. He was only glad to do so, clearly happy that his gamble had paid off.

Indeed, all in all, life in Londor was good to the both of them. It allowed them to heal, to move on from the hardships that had broken their spirits so long ago. With each passing day, their friendships was repaired and in time, they slowly returned to the cordial relationship they once had. They were swiftly becoming inseparable and it suited them both just fine. 

As such, when she stayed up late one night to pour over some new texts, she was not the least bit worried when she heard the door creak open and heard his footsteps coming in. He closed the door behind him, hushing River as she perked up at his sudden presence. She looked up from the book, her fingers leaving the braille symbols, and smiled.

“Are you still awake, Eygon?”

He chuckled. “Yes, could not sleep. It’s the soft bed. I have been sleeping on the ground and in hedges for so long that it keeps me awake rather than helps me slumber.”

She smiled again, recognizing the problem. “I know. I also found it hard to get used to after sleeping in my bunk at the convent.”

She scooted in the bed, patting the area beside her. She could feel how Eygon gave her a questioning look, seemingly unsure. She laughed.

“Come join me. The Keep gets rather cold at this hour.”

There was a soft “oh” on his end, but he nonetheless took her up on her invitation. Soon, she felt him slip next to her under the covers, letting out a pleased sigh at the warmth it provided. Clearly it brought back pleasant memories for the both of them, of a childhood back in Carim that was almost forgotten. He looked over to the texts she was reading, his voice betraying interest.

“All these years and I still don’t know my way about braille. I can make out “Oolacile”, but that’s about it.”

“It’s a text about the magic used in that land, yes. Golden sorceries as they were called, due to their age and their benevolent uses. Some of which were apparently used for repair and healing.”

Eygon chuckled. “Are you looking for cheaper ways to repair your talisman?”

“Not really. Rather to see if they also devised ways to fix the body as well…”

There was a short silence between them. She could feel him stare at her and she realized he had caught on to what she meant. She quickly turned back to the tome, running her fingers over the symbols in order to read further. 

She heard him sigh. “I am not certain if your eyes can be repaired. The only way I know that can bring a person back intact is what you and the Fire Keeper did with Horace and me. I can tell you, it’s not fun to experience and unlike you, what ailed Horace was not a condition that ran in the blood.”

Irina nodded sadly. He was right and she could tell by his tone of voice that he was trying to break that painful truth to her as gently as he could. Still, she couldn’t help but feel extremely disappointed. As capable as she was without her sight and even with all the helping hands she was surrounded with, she still longed for the days when she could still see.

“I know, Eygon. I know… It is just… Sometimes I wish I could see the world around me. See how beautiful it has become once more. And to be able to see the faces of the people I care about again…”

She sounded a lot more pathetic than she wanted to. She definitely felt pathetic for expressing such a hopeless wish. If anything, perhaps because it reminded her of the notion that she had never truly wanted to become a Fire Keeper of her own free will. It was rather that she didn’t know what else to do that would make her useful. The knight, however, was clearly sympathetic to her silly desires.

“I understand. It was not fair for you to lose your vision. I cannot say anything to make you feel better about that. I rarely do that anyway. All I can ask you to remember is that at least you have a world to live in and people to care about, even if you cannot see either. As for me, you are not missing much. I was never that great to behold.”

Those words made her chuckle, if only a little. “I am certain you are not that terrible to look at, Eygon. You were rather adorable when you were still a boy.”

He snickered in return. “We are no longer children, Irina. In fact, if our parents saw us in one bed at our age, they will likely not appreciate the sight.”

A grin formed on her face. “Not least of all because one of us is a virtuous knight and the other a cleric. At least, we were meant to be.”

She sensed how he frowned. “I don’t know. Are you still a cleric? And how does being a cardinal work in this city anyway?” 

She fell silent for the briefest moments. That really was a good question. One she had never asked herself before too. Though to be fair, as The Ashen King seized control of Londor and needed help to sort out the ensuing chaos, she hadn’t had much time to truly think about it.

“Well, I help arrange knowledge and religious matters of this city, including areas Seri cannot cover. But even I am not entirely sure of I can and cannot do. Religion seems somewhat less rigid here than in Carim. It has no clearly defined rules on matters like worship, defined tasks or celibacy, for one.”

She spoke the truth. Despite the Sisters keeping an iron grip on the city and erecting a beautiful Cathedral for worship, rules in the city of Hollows seemed defined rather loosely. She had read their tomes many times now and many of the restrictions and stipulations from places like Carim or Thorolund were notably absent.

It certainly showed in its people too. There was very little social control and most people seemed to agree that as long as nobody else got hurt, any kind of indulgence was harmless. There was even a rumor going around Londor that Seri entertained a lover of her own as well. Whether it was true or not, she didn’t know and she felt it wasn’t her place to ask. Even so, the citizens seemed to mention it more as casual gossip than with any kind of disdain or scandal. Even she had to admit it was rather refreshing. Clearly Eygon felt the same.

“So it will not be held against us if you or me would go looking for companionship. That’s good to know.”

She smiled. “I certainly will not. You are free to do whatever you wish. Even seeking out a lover if that is what you want. You deserve happiness. Me, I doubt I will do so any time soon.”

Irina felt how he looked at her, almost frowning. “Why? Because you are blind? You may not be able to see, but as far as I can tell, that does not keep you from feeling. Besides, you are easy on the eyes. It would not take a man with low standards to be interested in someone like you.”

Those words, spoken with his usual gruffness, only made her laugh. “Well, Eygon, I think that is as close as a compliment you will ever give someone. I thank you nonetheless.”

The cleric sensed how he fell silent and she swore she could feel a sense of embarrassment radiate from him. If anything, it only amused her further. Reaching out to find his face, she leaned in close and gently pecked him on the face. She could practically feel the heat come off him, but if her plan was to playfully shame him with affection, it definitely wasn’t working when he decided to repay her action with a kiss of his own.

Instantly, she froze over, shocked and confused. This was not her first kiss, not even from Eygon. The two of them had done so once as children, purely out of curiosity. Back then, his mother had interrupted them, seemingly very upset about their behavior. She had not understood back then. Yet then, what they did had simply felt odd, not the way it did now. 

She could feel her face flush. The kiss was rough, a little clumsy, but she quite liked the feeling of it. So did he, apparently. He kissed her again and this time, she was a little braver. Irina responded eagerly, quite enjoying the feeling of his lips against hers. She didn’t even mind as he cheekily tried to slip his tongue into her mouth, simply paying him back in kind with uncharacteristic bravery.

By now, Irina had become a lot more knowledgeable in the ways of the world. Once here in Londor, she had gained access to more diverse knowledge. One of those things included physical attraction and intercourse and now, she had grown more curious about it than afraid. Perhaps Eygon was right. Even if she was blind, it didn’t mean she could not experience other sensations.

The knight was not perturbed by her eagerness. Soon, he was on top of her, though careful to support his own weight. His kissing quickly became more heated and she felt her blood run warm in return. She quite liked the feeling of his body so close against hers. The both of them had been starved of physical closeness for a long time and neither seemed to object to turning to each other to obtain it.

Even so, she could feel him pause as he ran his hands down her sides. She sensed how he looked at her and she felt how he hesitated. Seeing how rare that was for him, she couldn’t help but giggle.

“Am I actually scaring you, Ser Eygon?”

He shook his head, sounding a little indignant. “No. It is rather… Do you want to…continue this?”

That question gave her pause. She knew what he was implying, even if he seemed somewhat embarrassed to say it out loud. Still, she was glad he asked, since the idea of potentially having intercourse for the first time suddenly seemed quite daunting.

“I do not know. I have never done this. Have you?”

He coughed a little. “Once. Long before I became a knight. So I have a little bit of experience. If you do not mind that…”

She could not help but notice he did not seem particularly proud of it. Perhaps she would have minded once, but she did not see why she should worry about anything that happened long ago. If anything, the idea at least he knew a little was encouraging, provided he wasn’t going to be too rough on her. She had a hard time ever imagining him handling something delicately.

Her answer almost came out as a whisper. “Yes. I want to… Just…be gentle…”

He looked at her for a moment, astonished, only to let out a rough, friendly laugh. “Only if you want me to be, Irina.”

The cleric was about to give him a questioning look, wondering what he meant with that, only to be interrupted by another kiss. Then and there, the only thing on her mind was to simply enjoy his attention. She sighed contently as she felt his lips trail over hers, then down to her neck and throat before making their way to an exposed shoulder. Soon, they reached the hem of her nightgown and as she could feel his hands slip underneath the fabric, she already knew what was coming next.

Even so, she was a little shy when he lifted her gown up to her chin. She simply lay there, letting out a shaky breath, shivering at the slight cold she now felt. She felt how he looked her over and something told her he was rather appreciative of the sight. She was certain she was breaking out into red spots all of her skin, just wondering what he was seeing that made him so excited. 

That thought quickly faded away when she suddenly felt warm, rough hands on her breasts. She jerked at the sudden contact, causing him to pause. Irina felt him stare at her, quickly nodded to indicate he should continue. He only happily obliged, running his fingers over the curves before taking both of them in her hands.

Initially, it felt very strange to have his hands there. She could feel him knead the soft flesh, slowly and rhythmically. She strangely found herself relax at the motions and slowly, the feeling of vulnerability was ebbing away. He seemed particularly fascinated with her nipples, rubbing his thumbs over the little nubs and she could feel them harden under his touch. A soft moan escaped her lips and he chuckled.

“You like that?”

She nodded before she even realized it, only to suddenly whimper when she felt something hot and wet on her chest. The motions of his hand didn’t let up and she could feel his warm breath on her skin. She gasped when she realized he was actually running his tongue across her breasts and the whole idea seemed so perverse she was right back to blushing. 

Another whimper left her mouth when his mouth suddenly captured a nipple, sucking on it insistently. It sent a wave of pleasure through her frame and her body went slack, helpless to do anything but lie back and enjoy it. Her breathing quickened as he teased her breasts with his tongue, switching between them occasionally as he licked and tugged at them with his teeth.

It didn’t take long for the sensations to quickly overwhelm her. It was a wholly new experience and she noted with amazement that a wetness was gathering between her legs. She was starting to squirm, only for her hand to brush against something hard that had him shudder audibly. She reached out curiously, running her fingers against the object, only to realize what it was and retracting her hand with an embarrassed squeak. 

She heard him grunt, almost pleading. “Hm, please, Irina. That feels really good…”

The cleric stared at him, still feeling rather mortified. The fact that he apparently liked it did nothing to help it. She wasn’t entirely certain if she was brave enough to touch him again in such an intimate area. Besides, she didn’t exactly understand what she even did that he apparently enjoyed.

“I…I don’t really know what to do…”

Again, he snickered and she was certain that she was looking like a tomato by now. She tried to turn her face away, only to still when she heard him shrug off his pants and he took her hand. Another little squeal escaped her throat when she once again felt her fingers touch his member, only to grow even more awkward when he put them around it, sliding them across the organ.

“Just touch it, move your hand up and down the length like that.”

She did so without thinking, feeling utterly ridiculous as she did, only to be rewarded with another groan on his behalf. She repeated the motion again, feeling him twitch ever so slightly at the stimulation. Every now and then, he would murmur words of approval and before she knew it, he went back to lapping at her breast. 

The return of the pleasurable sensation made her feel a lot more at ease again and as he continued to stimulate her, she finally dared focus on what she was doing. After a while, she actually started to feel comfortable, feeling that this part of him was no different from the rest of his body. 

While she couldn’t see his manhood, her lack of vision only increased her sense of touch. It was smooth, hard and somewhat thick. She had no idea of its size, but it didn’t feel particularly small. Even in her pleasure-addled mind, she had to wonder. How on earth was that going to fit inside her?

She was so absorbed by that thought and his busy mouth that she hardly noticed one of his hands sneaking down. It blazed a ticklish path across her ribcage, dipping into her bellybutton before wandering to the area below her waistline. Soon, it found her lower lips and a single digit slipped in-between them.

Suddenly, a jolt of ecstasy ran through Irina’s body and she jerked violently. Her eyes widened and she turned to Eygon in shock, not quite sure what just came over her. He, however, was not going to explain anything and instead repeated the motion, teasing a small nub at the apex of her womanhood that she never paid attention to before. 

She swiftly found herself reduced to wordlessly begging as he focused all his attention on that one spot, tracing circles around it. This, combined with him sucking on her nipple, was making her dizzy with delight. Heat was pooling between her legs and every little nerve inside her was set alight. 

She whined as a finger suddenly breached her, sliding all the way in. Her already slick insides made for an easy entrance, but she nonetheless jerked at the foreign intrusion. The knight noticed it and quickly held still, allowing her to adjust. Once she did, he started to slowly slip it in and out of her, keeping a close watch on her responses.

It felt odd at first, to have something so flexible rub her insides. Yet as the seconds ticked by, she found herself quite enjoying this new sensation. It felt even better when he added another finger, stretching her ever so slightly, soon finding a rough patch that was incredibly sensitive. She whimpered as he started to curl them against that spot inside her, his mouth still on a breast. 

The combined sensations rendered her barely able to speak and all she could express was an endless series of loud, lewd moans. She increased her grip on Eygon’s manhood, feeling him thrust into her hand and hearing him growl loudly. It only increased her arousal even further and she could feel something happening deep inside her. There was a pressure forming in her belly, one she had never felt before but somehow wanted to experience. 

Then, without warning, Eygon withdrew from her. She let out a disappointed cry in response, helplessly jerking her hips. It caused him to laugh.

“Well, look at you. Here I thought you’d be a quiet one, but you’re mewling like a molly in heat. I can only imagine what you’ll be like during the actual act.”

She simply huffed at him, his voice pleading. “Please Eygon, do not torment me so… Just…get on with it.”

Irina felt a little embarrassed at how eager she sounded and it was obvious that the knight was surprised by this as well. Not that it seemed to stop him. He kissed her, his voice sounded oddly affectionate. 

“Whatever my lady wishes. I’ll go slow, so hopefully it will not hurt too much.”

She felt how he moved from her side and moved on top of her again, gently pushing her legs apart and seating himself between them. She swallowed softly. She knew very well that the first time could be painful for a woman and while she had definitely enjoyed things so far, she was worried about what was in store for her.

Any other thoughts were quickly gone from her mind when she felt him toy with the sensitive nub down there again. Her head lolled back against the pillow and she only barely noticed how he pressed against her entrance, slowly pushing himself inside. She felt a brief sting a few times along the way, but it never got agonizing and she was pleasantly surprised when he made it all the way in without any serious obstruction. 

She laid back, moving a little as she adjusted to him. The idea of having another person inside of her was strange, but it didn’t feel unpleasant. If anything, the heat in her stomach was still there and she didn’t want it to go away. Much to her frustration, however, Eygon held still and looked her over with worry. 

“Are you well? I have not hurt you?”

She shook her head, relaxing against him. “Not at all. Now then, shall we proceed?”

Her fearlessness made him laugh again and she felt him kiss her neck. “Happily.”

Sliding his hands to her hips and holding them, he carefully started to thrust into her. The first movement elicited a startled gasp from her, but the second one already felt better. On instinct, she wrapped her legs around his hips, pulling him close as he started to build up a slow, steady rhythm. 

She groaned and whimpered as he played with her breasts, lost the feeling of friction between their bodies. What once felt seemed scary and unknown was quickly starting to feel familiar and the delightful heat she was feeling before only seemed to increase rapidly. Irina found her toes curling and whatever fear was left in her quickly disappeared.

After a while, she started to reach out to him, eagerly running her hands over his naked body. She might not be able to see him as he made love to her, but she could definitely feel him, smell him and taste him. That, she felt, was at least as good and as his movements became more frenzied, she became ever more aware of the fire burning in her joins. 

In that moment, there was nothing but their bodies, caught in the most primal of acts. She felt aware of everything. The bounce of her breasts, the tightening of the muscles in her abdomen, the way her womanhood flexed as he pushed inside her. She shivered every time she felt him rub a nipple or his pelvis rubbed against the little pearl between her legs. She sensed how her womanhood throbbed and clenched around him and she could him twitch as he rubbed against her inner walls.

Then, out of nowhere, the pressure inside of her seemed to rapidly increase. Her muscles started to contract erratically and every touch was like fire to her skin. There was something coming, she realized, and it was a lot bigger and overwhelming than she had felt before.

Suddenly, a sliver of apprehension was back and she tried to push against Eygon, worried about what was going to happen. He didn’t relent, instead putting his arms around her and holding her. He kissed her roughly, putting her arms around his neck and he pounded into her even harder.

“Do not fight it. It is alright. Just let it come over you, Irina.”

His voice was gentle and along with the pressure building, it kept her from protesting any further. She simply hung onto him for dear life, as the pleasure inside her kept building. Soon, her body was moving of its own volition and she could only obey it as the promise of ecstasy came ever closer.

The cleric needed no further encouragement as her hips grinded against him, until finally, her orgasm washed over her and took away all conscious thought as she cried out his name. She jerked against him, burying her head against his shoulder while she kept rutting against him. Her nails practically dug into his skin as she went through the final shudders brought on by her climax, moaning and mewling all the way. 

Eygon was not too far behind. He thrust into her a few more times, fingers digging into her hips, before his manhood shuddered inside her and he released himself. She felt him go limp on top of her, panting heavily. She let him, simply enjoying the closeness, trying to regain her own breath as she lay there exhausted.

After a while, he suddenly nuzzled her, grinning against her skin. “You enjoyed yourself, Irina?”

She giggled against the ticklish sensation, running her hand through his hair. “That I did. Thank you for being so considerate though. I appreciate it.”

She could feel a chuckle rumble in his chest. “You do realize you won’t get rid of me anymore now, right?”

All she could do at that was laugh. “Good. I am becoming quite attached to having a gruff, uncouth knight around.”

There was a short silence between them at that, with him staring at her incredulously. She wondered what she said that caught him off guard. Then, out of nowhere, he too burst out laughing. 

“Well, what do you know? The former cleric has a sense of humor…”

Irina smiled in response, quietly motioning him to get off her as he was becoming rather heavy now. He quickly caught on and obliged, curling up against her with an arm around her waist. She then felt something cold and wet nudge her shoulder from the other side of the bed and turned over to find River there, making soft and uncertain noises. She reached out to pet the animal, an amused look on her face as she eventually turned back to her sleeping place.

“Poor thing, I think we seriously frightened her.”

Eygon sniggered. “Perhaps we should keep it down next time. At least, if there will be one…”

That last remark had her turn back to him, surprised. “What do you mean by that?”

For a moment, she swore she could feel uncomfortable heat radiating off him. “Well, I do not think either of us planned for this tonight. In fact, I was rather surprised that you let me. I would not mind taking you for a lover, provided you would have me. If not, well… I am contend to just be by your side and act like it never happened.”

He sounded remarkably vulnerable saying those words and Irina found herself rather stunned by them. He had a point. She had never imagined herself ever having him for a bedmate. She had never expected to actually be involved with anyone at all, destined for the life of a cleric and a Fire Keeper.

Still, that last part was exactly the thing. The truth was, she had enjoyed making love to him and for more than just physical reasons. For perhaps the first time in her adult life, she had felt truly free. She wasn’t some pretty cleric that had to be kept from being defiled or a fragile blind creature that needed help and pity. Eygon had simply treated her like a normal human being, worthy of respect, kindness and pleasure. That was something she wanted, she had craved without realizing it and that motivated her answer.

“I am willing to give it a try, Eygon. I have lived in a silver cage too long. I want to do what feels good to me, rather than just what people expect me to do. After all that happened, I think I am allowed to have that.”

He seemed quite astounded by those words, but she could almost sense how his mouth turned upwards into a smile. “Truer words have never been spoken.”

She felt how he leaned in closer, pulling her against his chest as he sank his head into the pillow. He wished her a good night, telling she could continue her studies tomorrow yet not resisting a joke that they’d better have a good excuse if a servant found them in the morning. She chuckled a little at that, settling in his grip as she listened to him falling asleep.

Feeling rather tired herself after their encounter, she allowed her own eyes to drift shut as well. Part of her realized just how odd it was, to suddenly have someone sleep someone beside her and break all the vows she had sworn as a cleric. Yet she couldn’t say she felt regretful about it either.

Their entire lives, she and Eygon had lived in the service of others. The Way of White, their families, their superiors and even the First Flame. All forces that shaped their decisions and urged them to sacrifice their own wellbeing for the needs of the faceless many. But no more.

The Flame was gone now and they were no longer tied to it. If humanity was free to carve its own path, then so should they. Here in a reformed Londor, there was no duty, only the exciting unknown with a promising future. She was more than willing to walk that road with Eygon at her side and they would go wherever it would lead them.


End file.
